Gearless clock



G. R. HORNER GEARLESS CLOCK June 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept.22, 1948 'I IIIIII INVENTOR. dleymffifio rne r Z .Wv

ATTEI RN EYS Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a-,clock, and more particularly to a clockmechanism fordriving the hands of the clock.

Theobject of the invention is to provide a clock having a simplifiedclock mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a; clock mechanism foruniformly and positively driving the hands forward, regardless of theposition of the hands.

A further object of the invention is to provide agclock mechanism whichis extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In'the accompanying drawings forming apart of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view. of the clock according to thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the clock with the cover and flatsprings'removed;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional viewv taken on the line .33 of Figure2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of, the clock taken on the line 5-5 of Fig.4, showing the setting mechanism.

Referring-in detail to the drawings,- the clock comprises a base Insupporting a housing Carried by the forward portion of the housing H isa transparent closure I2, Figure 2, and

arranged in spaced, parallel relation with respect to the closure |2 'isa dial |3 provided with the usualimarkings thereon. A-frame I4 is pos1-tionedwithin .the housing-l I,. there being aback wall l5 releasablysecured to the frame M by means of screws I6 for gaining access to theclock mechanism. A sleeve projects from the forward end of the frame l4and through the dial |3 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Arranged within the frame I4 is a one-revolution-per-minute synchronousmotor l8 adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy, and afirst rotatable shaft l9 supported on a bearing 9 has one end projectingthrough the sleeve I1 and secured to the second hand of the clock.Arranged transversely with respect to the shaft l9 and secured theretois a cam 2| provided with one tooth, Figure 4. Arranged in bearingcontact with the cam 2| is a shoe 23 which is carried by a lever 24. Oneend 25 of the lever 24 is pivotally connected to the rod 21, the rod 21being supported by a lug 26. A coil spring 4 -connects the lever 24 to alug 3 which is secured to the base of the clock, so that the shoe '23will be maintained in contact with cam 2|.

The other end of the lever 24 is pivotally connected to a pawl orratchet 28 which has its end arranged in engagement with the teeth 29 ofa disc 30; there being sixty evenly-spaced teeth on the disc; A spring3| biases the pawl 28 into engagement with the teeth 29, regardless ofthe position of the clock. The disc 30 is secured to an end of a hollowshaft 32 and the other end of the shaft 32 is secured to the minute hand33 of the clock, the shaft 32 being arranged in concentric relationabout the shaft 1 9. Arranged in superposed relation with respect to thedisc 30 and secured to the shaft 32 is a cam 34 provided with five teeth35 thereon, Figure 3. Arranged in bearing contact with the cam 34 is ashoe 36 which is carried by a lever 31, and one end 38 of the lever 31is pivotally connected to the rod 21. A coil spring 8 connects the lever31 to a lug 7 which is secured to the base of the clock so that the shoe36 will be maintained in Contact with the cam 34 so that the clock willoperateregardless of its position.

The other end of the-lever 3"! carries a pawl or ratchet 4| which hasits end arranged in engagement with the teeth 42 of the disc 43 and aspring. 44 biases the pawl 4| into engagement with the teeth 42, therebeing sixty evenly-spaced teeth. The disc 43 is secured to an end of ahollow shaft 45 and the other end of the shaft 45 is secured to the hourhand 59 of the clock, the shaft 45 being arranged in concentric relationabout the shaft 32.

A pair of fiat springs 45 and 41 each has one end secured by a rivet 48to the upper portion of the frame l4, and the other ends of the flatsprings 46 and 41 bear against the discs 43 and 30, respectively, toprevent the hands of the clock from being turned backwards.

The mechanism for re-setting the clock is shown in detail in Figure 5,and comprises a carriage slidably mounted on the base of the clock,there being a slot 49 in the carriage 48 and projecting through the slot49 is a pair of screws 50 for maintaining the carriage in alignment asit is moved. For moving the carriage, a rod 5| is supported thereon andis provided with a knurled knob 52 on one end thereof. A tension spring53 is circumposed on the rod 5| and has one end secured to the carriage48 for normally biasing the latter toward the back of the clock. A spurgear 54 is secured to the rod 5| and is arranged in meshing engagementwith a second spur gear 55 secured to a rotatable shaft 56. A rubberwheel 51 is secured to the shaft 56 and is adapted to be moved into andout of engagement with the disc 30, as the carriage is moved. Uponrotation of the rod 5|, the disc 30 will be rotated to thereby move thehands to the desired position.

The sequence of operation of the clock is as follows: The motor l8 turnsover one revolution per minute to cause the second hand 20 to turn 360every minute. Also, by the action of the shoe 23 bearing against the cam2|, the pivotally connected lever 24 and pawl 28 will cause one 360rotation of the minute hand 33 for every sixty revolutions of the secondhand 20. Similarly, rotation of the disc 30 rotates the five-toothed cam34 which has bearing against it the shoe 36 so that the lever 31 andpawl 4| cause the disc 43 and hour hand 59 to rotate one 360 revolutionfor every sixty complete revolutions of the minute hand 33. The coilsprings 4 and 8 maintain the shoes 23 and 36, respectively, in contactwith the cams 2| and 34 to insure operation of the clock, regardless ofits position. A pair of flat springs 46 and 41 exert light pressure onthe discs 43 and 30, respectively, to thereby prevent the hands frombeing turned backwards. The clock can be reset by movement of the knob52 inwardly to move the rubber wheel 51 into engagement with the disc30, so that by rotation of the knob 52, the hands of the clock can bemoved to their proper position.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided adevice which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others,including many advantages of great practical utility and commercialimportance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the emobdiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A clock comprising a base, a housing supported on said base, atransparent closure carried by the forward portion of said housing, adial arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to said closureand provided with markings thereon, a frame positioned within saidhousing, a back wall releasably connected to said frame, a sleeveprojecting from the forward end of said frame and extending through saiddial, a motor adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energyarranged within said housing, a first rotatable shaft projecting throughsail sleeve and having an end secured to said motor, a second handsecured to the other end of said first shaft, a first cam carried bysaid first shaft and provided with a single tooth, a second rotatableshaft arranged in concentric relation about said first shaft, a firstdisc provided with a plurality of spaced teeth on an end of said secondshaft, means operatively connecting said first cam to the teeth of saidfirst disc for rotating the latter upon rotation of said first shaft,said means comprising a horizontally disposed rod arranged in saidhousing, an offset lever having one end pivotally connected to said rod,a shoe arranged on the lower surface of said lever for engaging thetooth on said first cam, a pawl pivotally connected to the other end ofsaid lever and engaging the teeth on said first disc, a lug extendingupwardly from said base, a coil spring extending between said lug andsaid lever, a spring for urging said pawl into engagement with the teethon said disc, a minute hand carried by the other end of said secondshaft, a second cam carried by said second shaft and provided with aplurality of teeth, a third rotatable shaft arranged in concentricrelation about said second shaft, a second disc provided with aplurality of spaced teeth mounted on an end of said third shaft, meansoperatively connecting said second shaft to the teeth of said seconddisc for rotating th latter upon rotation of said second shaft, saidlastnamed means comprising a lever having one end pivotally connected tosaid rod, a shoe arranged on the lower surface of said last-named leverfor engaging the teeth on said second cam, a pawl pivotally connected tothe other end of said lastnamed lever and engaging the teeth on saidsecond disc, an hour hand carried by the other end of said third shaft,manually operable means on said clock for resetting the latter, andresilient means embodying a pair of flat springs secured to said frameand bearing against said discs for preventin the hands of the clock frombeing turned backwards, said clock hands being advanced during theraising of the levers.

GLENN R. HORNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,008,610 Florman July 16, 19352,058,609 Magro Oct. 2'7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date439,035 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1935

